Osteoarthritis, labour division, and occupational specialization of the Late Shang China - insights from Yinxu (ca. 1250 - 1046 B.C.)

A study of skeletal remains from Yin Xu, the Late Shang dynasty capital (ca. 1250–1046 B.C.), reveals distinct patterns of osteoarthritis that suggest gendered labor division and occupational specialization. Analysis of 167 skeletons from two sites showed males had significantly higher upper-body osteoarthritis, likely due to repetitive heavy lifting—a pattern more pronounced in Xiaomintun, where bronze-casting artifacts were abundant. This implies men engaged in physically demanding tasks, while higher osteoarthritis in Xiaomintun females hints at their possible involvement in bronze-casting as a family occupation. The findings support the existence of occupation-oriented neighborhoods and gendered labor roles in ancient urban China.

Zhang, H., Merrett, D. C., Jing, Z., Tang, J., He, Y., Yue, H., Yue, Z., & Yang, D. Y. (2017). Osteoarthritis, labour division, and occupational specialization of the Late Shang China - insights from Yinxu (ca. 1250 - 1046 B.C.). Plos One, 12(5), e0176329. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176329